Bati
The hard, round wheat bread of the Rajasthani desert — coarse wheat flour kneaded with ghee and minimal water into a firm, dry dough, shaped into balls and baked in hot desert sand traditionally, or in a wood fire or oven today, until the exterior is a hard, golden-brown crust and the interior remains dense and doughy. The bati is the bread that gave the dal-baati combination its name; made without water apart from minimal binding, it represents the desert preservation of food — a bati stays edible for days without refrigeration. Broken open and dunked in ghee or dal, it absorbs liquid completely and becomes the most satisfying bread of Rajasthani cooking.
Cuisines
Best for
Recipe
Ingredients
| 2 cups | whole wheat flour |
| 1/4 cup | semolina (sooji) |
| 1/4 cup | ghee |
| 1/2 teaspoon | carom seeds (ajwain) |
| 1/2 teaspoon | baking soda |
| — | salt to taste |
| — | water as needed |
| 1/2 cup | ghee for serving |
Instructions
- 1 In a large mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, semolina, carom seeds, baking soda, and salt.
- 2 Add 1/4 cup of ghee to the dry ingredients and mix well until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- 3 Gradually add water to the mixture and knead into a firm dough.
- 4 Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls and flatten them slightly.
- 5 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- 6 Place the dough balls on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- 7 Alternatively, you can cook the bati on a traditional tandoor or over an open flame until they are evenly cooked.
- 8 Once cooked, remove the bati from the oven and dip them in melted ghee.
- 9 Serve hot with dal, chutney, or curry of your choice.
Tips
For a smoky flavor, cook the bati over an open flame or tandoor. Ensure to dip them in ghee immediately after cooking for authentic taste.